User login

Syndicate

You are here

Bill Monroe

Nashville, TN -- Two of the most profound musical innovators in country and bluegrass music will forever remain part of the Soul of Nashville with the installation today of life-size statues of the Father of Bluegrass Music, Bill Monroe and Ryman icon and country star Little Jimmy Dickens at the historic Ryman Auditorium.

Nashville, TN -- Fans of the “Father of Bluegrass Music” have a unique opportunity to own the rights to the name and likeness to Bill Monroe. Regarded as the man who started the format, Monroe joined the WSM Grand Ole Opry in 1939, and was a member for almost six decades – until his passing in September 1996. One of the few members of both the Country Music Hall of Fame and The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Monroe’s musical legacy included legendary stints on Columbia Records and MCA / Decca, with whom he was associated for forty years. Monroe cast a shadow over music by influencing a wide variety of musical artists.

The Classic series is an enjoyable introduction to the diverse repertoire of American music available from Smithsonian Folkways Recordings. Each explores the breadth and depth of a genre while the notes trace its significance within American musical heritage. Longtime lovers of American roots music and newcomers alike find value and enjoyment in the Classic series. Compiled and annotated by GRAMMY award winning Smithsonian Folkways Archivist Jeff Place, award winning bluegrass radio presenter Lee Michael Demsey, blues historian Barry Lee Pearson, and others, the series has produced compilations of bluegrass, folk, blues, maritime, old-time, and mountain music.

September 9, 1996 was a solemn day in the history of bluegrass music. The father of our music, Bill Monroe, who was loved and admired by all, passed on to the heavens to pick with those of his time. Bill created a unique American musical form which has become a standard of American genres. During the days after the great depression, Bill played in small clubs in the steel towns north of his Commonwealth of Kentucky home. Chicago is where the music was born but its roots were deep in the heart of his homeland on the south. The Big Mon, as he was affectionately known, will be missed by the entire world. Bill worked the oil refineries to sustain the family and the hard labor was something he felt would maintain his strength - both physical and spiritual.

Nashville, TN -- Following on the heels of the "Southern Flavor" single release, DSR presents a video - telling the story of the lyrics, the song, and what made the session so special. "Southern Flavor" features Buller on fiddle and vocal with the help of former Bluegrass Boys: Michael Feagan (fiddle), Peter Rowan (guitar/vocal), Buddy Spicher (fiddle), Roland White (mandolin), and Blake Williams (banjo).

Asheville, NC -- WNCmusic.Org has launched an Indiegogo fundraiser to gather funds to commemorate "Father of Bluegrass" Bill Monroe's time in Asheville, North Carolina and is seeking to raise $6000 to cover the cost of a brass marker to be placed outside of the historic Flat Iron Building where Monroe played his first radio show at WWNC.

The Bill Monroe Memorial Bean Blossom Bluegrass Festival, winner of the 2013 International Bluegrass Music Association’s IBMA Bluegrass Event of the Year Award, will hold their 48th annual festival June 12-21, 2014. This world famous event, known as the longest continuous running bluegrass festival in the world, will take place at the Bill Monroe Memorial Bluegrass Music Park & Campground in Bean Blossom (Brown County), Indiana.

James William Monroe II confirmed with Cybergrass that his grandfather made the January 7th list. The list says confidential and restricted however, a copy is available online. It also comes with a caveat that changes to the list can happen without notice. The Citizen's Stamp Advisory Committee cataloged Monroe as an "approved subject" with a distribution year yet to be determined. Tagged "Music Icons: Bill Monroe", the Father of Bluegrass Music's stamp is not yet in development nor has a design been approved. Monroe is listed with other icons including Jim Morrison, Tammy Wynette, "Fats" Waller, Freddie Fender, John Lennon and others. Icons already approved include Roy Orbison and Sarah Vaughn.

In the feud that just won't end, the Kentucky Supreme Court let stand a prior Appellate Court ruling that the Jerusalem Ridge Foundation can continue to use the Bill Monroe name to promote their annual bluegrass music festival. The feud between the Ohio County Industrial Foundation and the Jerusalem Ridge Bluegrass Music Foundation has been going on for over a decade and just won't die. The Kentucky Supreme Court declined to hear the case letting the Kentucky Court of Appeals ruling stand. The feud is centered around the use of the Father of Bluegrass Music's name, "Bill Monroe."

The classic bluegrass of Bill Monroe is the primary focus of this band of musicians. Bob Black, Tom Ewing and Mark Hembree, all tenured and historical contributors to the vision of Bill Monroe, bring you back to the origins of bluegrass music. Blue Grass Boys Reunion showcases all the finest elements of this exciting and driving music. Through the classic songs with that "high lonesome sound", personal stories and anecdotes from those who knew and played with Mr. Monroe, along with his distinctive instrumentals, they convey the emotive music the Father of Bluegrass created.

Owensboro, KY -- On July 25 th, sports celebrities native to Owensboro, Kentucky -- NASCAR legends Darrell and Michael Waltrip, world champion Moto GP Nicky Hayden "The Kentucky Kid" and brothers Tommy and Roger, NBA superstar Rex Chapman, Major Leaguer Brad Wilkerson, Kentucky basketball superstar Bobby Watson and Basketball Hall of Famer Cliff Hagan -- will be honored as inductees to the Owensboro Walk of Fame. The tribute will occur at the Hometown Heroes Celebrity Golf Scramble to benefit the new International Bluegrass Music Center. It is sponsored by the Owensboro-Daviess County Convention and Visitors Bureau. This event includes a golf scramble at the Owensboro Country Club followed by a reception hosted by the City of Owensboro including entertainment by these renowned Bluegrass musicians: Christian Sedelmyer, Todd Phillips, Scott Simontacchi, and David Golden.

Early bird tickets are now on sale for the 2013 Jerusalem Ridge Bluegrass Music Festival and will be available through July at last year's prices. Jerusalem Ridge, the Birthplace of Bluegrass Music, is planning a wonderful festival for you. Please visit the Jerusalem Ridge Bluegrass Festival website to purchase.

Annual Lloyd Loar’s Hometown Bluegrass Festival to be held at Marigold Meadows 1212 N. Cedar Street in Lewistown, Illinois. Why Lloyd Loar? Lloyd Loar's parents moved to Lewistown, IL in 1889 when Lloyd was three years old. Lloyd attended Lewistown High School from 1899 to 1903 and began performing in local music programs. Loar went on to study harmony, music theory, orchestration and piano. According to various documents*, Loar returned to his hometown later in life and established an Acoustical Research Laboratory. While Bill Monroe may have been “The Father of Bluegrass", the sound we associate with Monroe’s mandolin came from Lloyd Loar.

Kentucky Monthly magazine has collaborated with internationally recognized artist Aaron Kizer of Owensboro to create its June/July 2013 issue cover. The ink and watered-down Valspar wall paint piece depicts a stylized portrait of bluegrass icon Bill Monroe and corresponds to a story about the International Bluegrass Music Museum. A feature story about Kizer also appears in the issue, which will be available on newsstands by June 4.

We thought the end of the Bill Monroe Name marathon litagation was over after the Kentucky Court of Appeals recent decision. We thought that Ohio County Industrial Foundation would settle down. We were wrong. The foundation seems to want to keep this ugly battle alive for eternity. It seems that the Ohio County Industrial Foundation has filed a petition with the Kentucky Court of Appeals seeking a rehearing on their earlier decision. It is hoped that the court will deny this petition and put this to rest.